Faculty transformation through service-learning implementation
Shirley Theriot, Director of the Center for Community Service Learning, University of Texas at Arlington [Theriot@uta.edu]
Mary Cazzell, Assistant Professor, University of Texas at Arlington [mary.cazzell@mavs.uta.edu]
Melanie Sattler, Associate Professor, University of Texas at Arlington [msattler@uta.edu]
Joan Blakey, Assistant Professor, University of Texas at Arlington [jblakey@uta.edu]
Summary
The purpose of this case study was to gain knowledge and understanding of the professional faculty transformations that occurred as a result of implementing service-learning. This study was grounded in transformative learning theory, in which “learning is understood as the process of using a prior interpretation to construe a new or revised interpretation of the meaning of one’s experience in order to guide future action” (Mezirow, 1996, p. 162).
Using a case study design, three faculty members and the service-learning director at a research-intensive university explored the challenges and opportunities of moving from traditional teaching methods to implementing service-learning models. The overarching research questions in the study were:
What are the challenges and opportunities of implementing service-learning in a university setting?
How has the implementation of service-learning transformed the way faculty teach and interact with students?
This qualitative analysis involved an interdisciplinary group of faculty and a Director of Service-Learning during a two-year period. From August 2010 to the present, this research group engaged in critical reflections designed to provoke a process of questioning and self-discovery. This process involved challenging accepted norms of teaching and learning as well as self-assessment through critical questioning and reflection, which led to a deeper discovery of their own voice (Mezirow, 2002) and questions examining the significance of this counternormative pedagogy required by service-learning (Howard, 1998).
Analysis of group reflections and discussions regarding the transition from traditional teaching to implementation of service-learning uncovered three types of transformations: (1) transformation of student learning described as anticipatory integration to conflicts between expectation and reality; (2) transformation in learning about service-learning transitioning from constant search for clarification to search for relevance; and (3) transformation by learning about themselves as educators, moving from “me” to “we” and then to deconstruction of their professional selves.
References
Gilgun, J. F. (1994). A case for case studies in social work research. Social Work, 39(4), 371–380.
Gillham, B. (2000). Case study research methods. New York, NY: Continuum.
Hamel, J., Dufour, S., & Fortin, D. (1993). Case study methods. Newbury Park, CA: SAGE.
Howard, J. P. F. (1998). Academic service learning: A counternormative pedagogy. In R. A. Rhoads & J. P. F. Howard (Eds.), Academic service learning: A pedagogy of action and reflection (pp. 21-30). San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass.
Mezirow, J. (2002). Transformative learning: Theory to practice.New Directions for Adult and Continuing Education, 2002(74), 5–12.
Mezirow, J. (1996). Contemporary paradigms of learning. Adult Education Quarterly, 46(3), 158–172.
Padgett, D. K. (2008). Qualitative methods in social work research (2nd ed.). New York, NY: SAGE.
Pribbenow, D. A. (2005). The impact of service-learning pedagogy on faculty teaching and learning. Michigan Journal of Community Service Learning, 11(2), 25-38.
Scholz, R. W., & Tietje, O. (2002). Embedded case study methods: Integrating quantitative and qualitative knowledge. Thousand Oaks, CA: SAGE.
Stake, R. E. (2006). Multiple case study analysis. New York, NY: The Guilford Press.
Shirley Theriot, Director of the Center for Community Service Learning, University of Texas at Arlington [Theriot@uta.edu]
Mary Cazzell, Assistant Professor, University of Texas at Arlington [mary.cazzell@mavs.uta.edu]
Melanie Sattler, Associate Professor, University of Texas at Arlington [msattler@uta.edu]
Joan Blakey, Assistant Professor, University of Texas at Arlington [jblakey@uta.edu]
Keywords: Faculty development, transformative learning, case study, critical reflection, counternormative pedagogy
Conference track: Faculty
Format: Poster presentation
Summary
The purpose of this case study was to gain knowledge and understanding of the professional faculty transformations that occurred as a result of implementing service-learning. This study was grounded in transformative learning theory, in which “learning is understood as the process of using a prior interpretation to construe a new or revised interpretation of the meaning of one’s experience in order to guide future action” (Mezirow, 1996, p. 162).
Using a case study design, three faculty members and the service-learning director at a research-intensive university explored the challenges and opportunities of moving from traditional teaching methods to implementing service-learning models. The overarching research questions in the study were:
This qualitative analysis involved an interdisciplinary group of faculty and a Director of Service-Learning during a two-year period. From August 2010 to the present, this research group engaged in critical reflections designed to provoke a process of questioning and self-discovery. This process involved challenging accepted norms of teaching and learning as well as self-assessment through critical questioning and reflection, which led to a deeper discovery of their own voice (Mezirow, 2002) and questions examining the significance of this counternormative pedagogy required by service-learning (Howard, 1998).
Analysis of group reflections and discussions regarding the transition from traditional teaching to implementation of service-learning uncovered three types of transformations: (1) transformation of student learning described as anticipatory integration to conflicts between expectation and reality; (2) transformation in learning about service-learning transitioning from constant search for clarification to search for relevance; and (3) transformation by learning about themselves as educators, moving from “me” to “we” and then to deconstruction of their professional selves.
References
Gilgun, J. F. (1994). A case for case studies in social work research. Social Work, 39(4), 371–380.
Gillham, B. (2000). Case study research methods. New York, NY: Continuum.
Hamel, J., Dufour, S., & Fortin, D. (1993). Case study methods. Newbury Park, CA: SAGE.
Howard, J. P. F. (1998). Academic service learning: A counternormative pedagogy. In R. A. Rhoads & J. P. F. Howard (Eds.), Academic service learning: A pedagogy of action and reflection (pp. 21-30). San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass.
Mezirow, J. (2002). Transformative learning: Theory to practice. New Directions for Adult and Continuing Education, 2002(74), 5–12.
Mezirow, J. (1996). Contemporary paradigms of learning. Adult Education Quarterly, 46(3), 158–172.
Padgett, D. K. (2008). Qualitative methods in social work research (2nd ed.). New York, NY: SAGE.
Pribbenow, D. A. (2005). The impact of service-learning pedagogy on faculty teaching and learning. Michigan Journal of Community Service Learning, 11(2), 25-38.
Scholz, R. W., & Tietje, O. (2002). Embedded case study methods: Integrating quantitative and qualitative knowledge. Thousand Oaks, CA: SAGE.
Stake, R. E. (2006). Multiple case study analysis. New York, NY: The Guilford Press.
Tellis, W. (1997). Introduction to case study. The Qualitative Report, 3(2). Retrieved from http://www.nova.edu/ssss/QR/QR3-2/tellis1.html
Yin, R. K. (1994). Discovering the future the case study method in evaluation research. Evaluation Practice, 15(3), 283–90.
Yin, R. K. (2003). Case study research: Design and methods (3rd ed.). Thousand Oaks, CA: SAGE.
Yin, R. K. (2009). Case study research: Design and methods (4th ed.). Thousand Oaks, CA: SAGE.
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